Durham Community Receives Helping Hand From Local Contractor

A team from Caddick, the contractor currently on site at Forrest Park in Durham, has taken time out from building work to support Eldon Community Centre as part of the business’ Communities Month volunteer programme.

The team spent 44 hours over two days sprucing up the community centre on Main Road in Bishop Auckland. The project saw the team paint the main hall, kitchen, entrance hall, toilets and ceilings of the centre, breathing new life into the community space.

Managed by Eldon Parish Council, Eldon Community Centre is a hub for local activities, including council meetings, charity events, local functions and social groups.

Caddick’s annual Communities Month initiative builds on its support for the communities it works within across the North East, and forms part of its wider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy, Places for Life.

As a registered partner with the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS), Caddick is dedicated to raising standards across its business and the wider industry, which includes extensive investment in activity that positively impacts local people.

Eldon Community Centre was selected by the team of volunteers as part of Caddick’s work on Richardson Barberry’s Forrest Park development at Newton Aycliffe. This includes the delivery of a BREEAM Excellent distribution centre, for which DPD has signed a 25-year lease.

Steve Ford, Regional Managing Director, Caddick Construction North East & Yorkshire, commented:

“Communities Month enables our team to make a direct and impactful investment in the local community in Durham and leave a lasting legacy. Eldon Community Centre, and other local hubs like it, form the heart of the community by offering a place where everyone can come together for any occasion. Thanks to the team's dedication, the centre has been significantly brightened up, ensuring it remains a vibrant space for Bishop Auckland." Steve Ford, Regional Managing Director, Caddick Construction North East & Yorkshire

Georgia Donohue, Community Development Officer, Durham Community Action, added:

“The support Eldon Community Centre has received from Caddick is a powerful example of how Employer Supported Volunteering (ESV) can drive meaningful community development. By responding directly to the center's needs, Caddick’s volunteers have helped transform key spaces, allowing the center to host children’s Halloween parties and community meetings in a refreshed space. Their hard work has brought new energy to the center while easing the pressure on its dedicated volunteer team. It was such a positive experience for Durham Community Action to see the direct impact ESV can have on the organisations we work alongside.” Georgia Donohue, Community Development Officer, Durham Community Action